The present invention relates to supervising a network, that is a network of electronic devices comprising, for example, workstations, personal computers, servers, hubs, routers, bridges, switches, (hereinafter referred to as devices of the network), and links between these devices which may be in the form of physical cable or wireless links. The network may be a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) or other types and may operate in accordance with any desired protocol.
After such a network has been installed, it is desirable for the person appointed network manager to be able to understand the technical operation of the network. In known network management systems, the manner in which the relevant data is retrieved from the managed devices, compiled and displayed has been problematic in several respects. Firstly, the data received from each of the managed devices is simply compiled and displayed as a list of data for the user to interpret. Secondly, the data does not provide information about unmanaged devices. Thirdly, information about a given network device, such as the type of device, location of the device on the network and operating speed of the device, may be contained in different sections of the compiled data. Consequently, conventional systems are cumbersome and difficult to use.
In co-pending UK patent applications numbers 9910838.3 and 9910837.5 (each in the name of the assignee of the present application) which are incorporated herein, we describe various arrangements for providing interrogation of the devices of the network to thereby produce on a network manager""s workstation details of the network and its operation (preferably in the form of a network map which may be displayed on a visual display unit showing the devices and links between the devices). At its simplest, and where the device is a xe2x80x9cmanagedxe2x80x9d device, this information is usually provided by interrogation using a known protocol, such as the SNMP protocol, of the so-called xe2x80x98agentxe2x80x99 of each device which stores the device""s unique MAC address, the type of device and the MAC addresses of the devices which are connected to the ports directly or indirectly.
In our UK patent application 9910838.3 in particular there is disclosed a system which monitors a plurality of stress values or so-called xe2x80x9cstress metricsxe2x80x9d for the managed devices on the network and provides an overall stress value for each device or alternatively an overall stress value for the network as a whole. (There may also be stress values or metrics for components, eg chassis blades or ports of the device.)
Particularly where the network is a smaller network than would warrant a full time network manager, it is desirable for the network supervisor to be able to use his workstation for other tasks than network management and whilst the network supervisor is engaged in these other tasks, it is desirable if an indication can be given to the network supervisor that certain events, such as, but not exclusively, problems have occurred on the network. By xe2x80x9cproblemsxe2x80x9d we mean matters to which the network supervisor would like to give his attention and may include trivial or serious problems or other events.
Typical problems which may affect the performance of the network include:
1. Slow operating of the speed of the network, and individual network devices, leading to slow movement of data traffic across the network, indicated by, for example, slow response time for a given network device;
2. High volumes of data traffic on the network due to, for example, over utilisation of the networks links, network devices, and the network as a whole; and
3. High error rates in the transmission of data packets across the network, indicated by, for example, the loss of data packets in a network device and errors in received data packets.
The present invention provides a network supervising apparatus comprising:
arithmetic apparatus for applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of the network to provide a stress value,
a comparator to compare the stress value with a predetermined limit,
a processing unit to retrieve graphic symbol related signals from a signal store and to provide the graphic symbol on the visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit,
a manual selector for selecting the graphic symbol and causing said visual display apparatus to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.
The present invention may also provide a computer program on a computer readable medium or embodied in a carrier wave for use in supervising a network, said program comprising:
program step or means for applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of the network to provide a stress value,
program step or means to compare the stress value with a predetermined limit,
program step or means for retrieving graphic symbol signals from a signal store and for providing the graphic symbol on a visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit,
program step or means actuated by manually selecting the graphic symbol to cause said visual display apparatus to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.
The present invention also provides a method of supervising a network comprising:
applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of the network to provide a stress value,
comparing the stress value with a predetermined limit, retrieving graphic symbol signals from a signal store and providing the graphic symbol on a visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit,
manually selecting the graphic symbol and causing said visual display apparatus to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.